The Irish Gifts & Jewelry Blog

Unless you’ve been hiding in a cave for the past few months, you’ll know that the economy is not in great shape. However, with a little planning and thought, you’ll see that Christmas does not have to break the bank this year. Over the next couple of weeks, I’ll be showing you a ton of great Irish Christmas gifts that will leave some money in your pocket while still making this year’s Christmas as wonderful as ever.

Mullingar Pewter in Ireland still makes pewter in the old casting way by specially trained men and women. This beautiful Irish whiskey flask is no exception, and is wonderfully finished in leather and tartan fabric. Features a screw-off hinged lid and a 6 oz. capacity. The pewter oval that protrudes from the leather on the front of the flask is perfect for engraving that special message. Priced at only $62.99, this is a special Irish gift for him that won’t break your budget.

One of my absolute favorite Irish Gifts is anything to do with Guinness.  When it comes to Guinness barware, particularly, this Guinness Signature Party Pack is perfect for so many Irish celebrations.  This nicely packaged set contains:

• Two large Guinness signature pint glasses
• Four beer mats
• One large bar towel
• One packet of Guinness playing cards

Just add Guinness and you have all the makings for a very entertaining evening!  It is perfect for housewarmings, birthdays, and/or Christmas.  And let’s not forget about St. Patrick’s Day!  It is both an affordable and very creative Irish gift.  Everything that comes with theis set of officially-licensed Guinness merchandise.  Visit our store to see our entire range of Guinness gifts!

Dear Julie,

My Dad grew up in Dublin, before moving to the US when he was 12. He has fought for this country, and proudly flies the American flag in his front yard every day. Even after all this time, I know that he is incredibly proud of his Irish heritage. He is an amazing person who refuses to retire and still goes to work in a suit and tie every day without fail.Dad turns 60 on December 12th, and I’d like to get him something very special this year. Can you point me in the right direction?

Thanks,

Cindy in Ohio

60th Birthdays are always a special time. In many cases, it is an opportunity to reflect on life, your roots, accomplishments, how your priorities have changed, and the person that you have become. That person would not have been possible were it not for upbringing, guidance, and the luck and challenges that life presented.

I would definitely guide you towards a personalized piece of jewelry for your father. This would be a piece that proudly displayed his family coat of arms. Since you mentioned that your father wears both a shirt, and a tie, you could choose between cufflinks, or a tie-tack.  Your father should be overjoyed with an Irish gift such as this, especially since it will be handed down from one generation to another.

One of the questions that we commonly receive around this time of year is what would make a perfect Father’s Day Irish Gift. A set of cufflinks would certainly fit the bill - adding a personalized touch to any business suit and a very elegant statement to a more formal occasion!

Wikipedia offers the following background on cufflinks:

A cufflink (also cuff link or cuff-link) is a decorative fastener worn by men or women to fasten the two sides of the cuff on a dress shirt or blouse.

Cufflinks are designed only for use with link cuffs (also known as French Cuffs), which have buttonholes on both sides but no buttons. These may be either single or double-length (”French”) cuffs, and may be worn either “kissing,” with the ends pinched together, or “barrel-style,” with one end overlapping the other. Kissing cuffs are usually preferred.

Cufflink designs vary widely. The simplest design, consists of a short post or chain connecting two disc-shaped parts. The part positioned on the most visible side, is usually larger; a variety of designs can connect the smaller piece: It may be small enough to fit through the button hole like a button would; it may be separated and attached from the other side; or it may have a portion that swivels on the central post, aligning with the post while the link is threaded through the button-hole and swiveling into a position at right angles to the post when worn.

The visible part of a cufflink is often monogrammed or decorated in some way. There are numerous styles including novelty cufflinks, traditional cufflinks, contemporary cufflinks, and humorous cufflinks.

One of our favorite cufflink sets is this set of Silver Celtic Warrior Cufflinks With 18K Gold Bead. Sure to bring a happy smile to any Irish Dad’s face.

Finally, the good weather has arrived! With Spring here, it’s time to think about fresh wardrobe, or maybe just one or two new items to add some variety.

Perfect for cooler days and evenings is our range of Guinness rugby shirts. We have several different styles to choose from, and all are at great prices. Our rugby shirts come with fully taped shoulder and neck seams, adding a great deal of strength to the garment. The buttons are also rubber, both for strength, and comfort. Made from 100% heavyweight cotton. All of our Guinness merchandise is officially licensed and are perfect to use as Irish Gifts!

Don’t miss the ultimate accessory for St. Paddy’s Day preparations! Our St. Patrick’s Day Countdown sign is the perfect tool to keep track of the days remaining until one of the most famous celebrations.

Made right here in the USA, this sign comes complete with individual wooden tiles that let you proudly display the number of days remaining. Wonderfully decorated like an old Irish pub sign, there is a mixture of Gaelic and Old Time text and fonts. Sign is finished with a stain applied by hand in order to give it an antiqued look.

A good Irish gift for the groomsmen at your Irish wedding can actually be a tough one! You want something cool, something Irish, and something that they’ll remember. It’s a big plus if they’ll use it too!

What about whiskey measures from Mullingar Pewter? They’re unique (i.e. you don’t see them everyday) and you can have them engraved. Best place for the engraving is on the smooth area just below the rim, or at the bottom, if you’d prefer. We think these are a perfect gift for the “lads”!